


Dancing the World Away

by you_and_bucky



Series: (Y/N) Barnes [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-27
Updated: 2020-02-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:42:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22923514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/you_and_bucky/pseuds/you_and_bucky
Summary: TIMELINE 1938Bucky asks you to go dancing, and you find yourself agreeing, despite having no idea how to dance.This is super fluffy.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader
Series: (Y/N) Barnes [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1647448
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	Dancing the World Away

“Do you want to go dancing?”

In the month you had known Bucky, you hadn’t anticipated that question. He no longer walked you home every night, but you did have him over for dinner a few times a week. You worried that you were boring him with your introverted personality, but he seemed totally rapt by you, as if you were the most interesting person he’d ever known. You could sense his growing affection for you. Even so, you had assumed you were imaging this, or that this affection was much like his affection for Steve. Bucky was a very loyal friend.

“Dancing?”

“Yeah. There’s a pretty decent club not too far from here,” Bucky said. He sounded nervous. His energy was anxious.

“I… I don’t know how to dance…”

“I’ll teach you! Every nineteen-year-old girl needs to know how to dance (Y/N).”

“I…”

“I’ve been told I’m an excellent teacher,” he smiled.

“Alright. Just promise me you won’t laugh at me.”

“I would never laugh at you.” He sounded totally serious.

The next day you recounted the invitation to Sasha, who would not stop smiling. “You have to dress nice for this (Y/N). I mean, especially nice.”

“Really? Are you sure I’m not just reading too much into this?” You fiddled absently with the book stamp.

“No, this is definitely a date!”

You smiled.

“When are you going out?” Sasha asked, barely able to contain her excitement.

“Tonight.”

“What? Are you going to have time to get ready?”

“I think so,” you said. “James has to go home and clean up after work too.”

The rest of your shift went by slower than you thought was possible. You were on autopilot, helping customers, sifting through the returns bin, shelving books, tidying, doing admin work. Your thoughts were completely consumed by Bucky. And your date.

Sasha convinced Mr. Peters to let you leave early, so you had more time to prepare. You’d never been on a date before. What were you supposed to do to get ready?

_You have to dress nice for this (Y/N). I mean, especially nice._

_Thanks Sasha._ You went to your bedroom and threw your wardrobe open. You pushed all your dresses to the left, then to the right. Then back to the left. Most of your dresses were for work. They were nice, but utilitarian. And Bucky had already seen most of them. You sighed and returned to your living room to turn the radio on. Maybe some music would ease your nerves.

Back in the bedroom, back to the wardrobe. You were becoming frustrated. Why didn’t you have anything nice? You rarely went out if not for work or grocery shopping. You never needed anything nicer than these dresses. But now, they seemed drab. Damn it.

You sat on your bed and laid back in frustration. Time went slowly at work, but now it seemed to have sped up. You were running out of time. You didn’t have anything nice. You didn’t know how to dress. You were starting to wonder if you should just cancel the night. Bucky’s happy smile flashed across your mind and you dismissed the idea of cancelling. You couldn’t do that. You closed your eyes, breathing deep, soothing breaths. And then…

Your eyes snapped open. There was another dress. It was a rare birthday present from your parents, from the year your father hadn’t drunk away all their money. You had never worn it. It wasn’t hanging with your work dresses or your house clothes. It was hanging in the left-hand compartment of your wardrobe, the one filled with items you never used or looked at. You opened the compartment for the first time in years and saw it. You pulled it out to examine.

It was a baby powder blue, fitted around the bust and flowing freely from the waist down. You held it up to yourself. The sleeves reached your wrists and the skirt of the dress reached down to your knees. It had a white lace flat collar. It was simple and beautiful and perfect.

You showered as quickly as you could manage, then dried off and slipped carefully into the dress. Being hung on the hook in your bathroom while you showered had allowed it to air out, but there was still a faint musty smell. You went to your bathroom cabinet and reached for your favourite perfume. That would cover the smell of the dress easily.

You went back to your bedroom and looked at yourself in the full-length mirror. There was something missing.

Your hair! Of course, you had to do something with your hair. But there was no time for anything complicated. You stood thinking for a moment, then had an idea. You rushed into the lounge room, opening your large crafting trunk. You dug through it until you found what you were looking for. The white ribbon would look nice tied around your hair as a band.

There. Perfect.

Then the knock came and the butterflies in your stomach, which had been slowly multiplying all day, all began fluttering at once.

Taking a deep breath to calm yourself, you opened the door to find Bucky on the other side. This Bucky was different to the Bucky you were used to. He wore black dress pants and shoes, with a deep green button up shirt. His hair was carefully styled rather than haphazardly tousled. There was no grime from work on his face. His blue eyes shone brighter than you'd ever seen them.

“(Y/N), you look beautiful!”

“You look quite handsome yourself,” you replied. Was this tight feeling in your chest normal?

You walked to the club, Bucky's arm around yours like a gentleman. You tried very hard to stay present in the moment. It just didn't feel real.

The tightness in your chest increased when you approached the club and the loud swing music reached your ears. Entering the crowded club and seeing all the brightly dressed couples dancing, the butterflies fluttered in full force.

“Are you alright?” Bucky half yelled to be heard over the music.

_No. I want to go home and drink a nice cup of tea and read a good book._

“I... I'm fine.”

Bucky smiled reassuringly. “Don't worry (Y/N), if you need to leave at any point, we can. Just let me know.”

You swallowed the lump in your throat and nodded, letting Bucky lead you on to the dance floor.

You had never been dancing before, but Bucky started slow, showing you some basic dance moves. Soon enough, some of your anxiety melted away and you found yourself having fun. Bucky seemed to be completely in his element. You were sure you must have looked like an absolute clutz.

Just as you felt you had got the hang of the beat and the energetic dance moves, the music slowed. Looking about yourself, you saw all the couples embracing each other, moving slowly to the beautiful music. Then you looked back to Bucky and saw him looking at you. You nodded.

He moved into you, placing his hands on your hips. You emulated one of the other girls and put your arms around his neck.

Side to side. Side to side.

The whole world melted away. The other couples blurred. The lighting dimmed. The music became distant. There was no one and nothing but you and Bucky.

After what seemed like a perfect age, Bucky's expression changed. His eyes, which had yet to leave yours, flicked down to your lips, then back to your eyes. He bit his own lip. His perfect lip. You put your head back. Closed your eyes.

His lips met yours, warm and soft. You returned the kiss, amazed by the feeling. There were once again butterflies in your stomach. Bucky pulled away, you opened your eyes, and the world returned to you.

You danced for another hour, barely able to conceal your smile, and then Bucky walked you home. You couldn't help but think of the first night he walked you home. You were nervous that night too, though for different reasons. And unlike that night, you walked down the street hand in hand.


End file.
